California Pharmacy Professionals Suffering Burnout

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Frustrations have been building for pharmacy professionals around workplace issues, which are leading to burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are facing increased workloads with many patients visiting their local pharmacies for their COVID-19 booster as well as their flu shot this season. The influx of patients in pharmacies, combined with staffing shortages, are resulting in fatigue and burnout, both of which are significant patient safety issues. The California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) supports improved working conditions for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. CPhA does not want these mounting concerns to lead to actions such as protest that remove pharmacy professionals from their post in direct patient care.

CPhA would ask patients to allow for extra time and patience in their pharmacy visits that involve prescription fulfillment, vaccines, testing, and any other pharmacy services. Pharmacy professionals cannot be rushed through their systems of checks and balances to assure the highest quality of care. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians’ main priority continues to be the safety and care of patients. CPhA has worked for and expects an improvement in the workplace conditions of pharmacies in 2022. Reforms are necessary to protect patients and pharmacy professionals from corporate profit-driven practices that undermine patient care and interfere with the pharmacist as a health care provider. The signing into law of SB 362 (Newman) will prohibit chain pharmacies from establishing specific quotas to measure or evaluate a pharmacist or pharmacy technician’s performance of duties, effective as of January 1st, 2022. This is the first law in the nation to restrain harmful corporate practices within the pharmacy.

There still remain many issues around staffing levels and scheduling within chain pharmacies that negatively impact patients and pharmacists directly. CPhA is committed to continuing to advocate for all pharmacy professionals as they remain the most direct health care provider point of access within communities.

About CPhA

The California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) is the largest statewide professional association for pharmacists, student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the country. CPhA represents the pharmacy profession in all practice settings and promotes the health of the public through the practice of pharmacy.